Judges

Jesse Kircsch

Advertising Intelligence says there is more behind an ad than one might think. It almost becomes “alive.” It begins to have a life of it’s own outside of what the original (human) creator had in mind. It’s a play on artificial intelligence, meaning it’s NOT real — it’s fake. But there is intent, a story, an idea, a REAL living human behind the artificiality. At least at it’s conception. Good advertising, good design, has an intelligence behind it. It is simply not enough to just be pretty, it needs to tell a story, be smart, ask a question, make you FEEL something. What you see is just the surface. It has layers just asking to be peeled away by the viewer. That’s Advertising Intelligence.

Elli Hanson

If Artificial Intelligence is all about mimicking the non-linear synapses of human reasoning, advertising intelligence is just that; a non-linear approach to creativity. To me, advertising intelligence means having the empathy to truly understand the consumer that you’re speaking to, and the creativity to move them towards action. This means reading beyond traditional data and demographics to understand their personality, their world view and their cultural context. If you understand where someone is coming from, you can speak to them about where they’re going, or ideally where they dream about going. These innately human tools are what makes great advertising truly intelligent.

Rachel Abrams

Technology is an incredible tool for bringing people together but it’s never the idea itself. It’s simply one more way to make meaningful and relevant connections. The best ideas are about real human insights that hold true regardless of the platform.

Michael Cadamia

I think the power of Advertising Intelligence exists in looking beyond a data-driven process, and taking into account the human element; what happens when data is paired with first-hand experience and emotion to spark an idea. Great advertising can be inspired by data, but often comes from and is validated by instinct. It’s the magic that happens when we synthesize a brief and/or a strategy through our unique perspective, then listen to what our gut tells us.

CO-CHAIRS

Carla McNeil & Sara Kerr

For the past 40 years the Edmonton marketing community has come together to celebrate the talent, ingenuity and raw creativity originating from the market. The 40th Annual ACE Awards are a landmark of the years of collaboration, intelligence, artistic vision and support between agencies, partners, freelancers and clients that exemplify the multifaceted and community-oriented market that is Edmonton.

It is this fortitude of co-operation among the advertising community that makes the event possible year-to-year and keeps the Advertising Club of Edmonton thriving. So many helping hands are needed to put on the awards and we are extremely grateful to those who dedicate their efforts to the board and partner with us, as well as the sponsors that generously offer their time, advice and donations that make this show a reality. We are also thankful to live and work in Edmonton’s marketing industry which is rich with artistic talent and the acumen to produce outstanding work that elevates our market’s reputation among peers. We would also like to relay our gratitude to the four insanely talented judges that took the time to travel to Edmonton in the middle of a polar vortex to view and assess the abundance of outstanding work entered into the awards for 2018.

We knew, but did not think about what we were getting into again this year by continuing to once again co-chair the ACE Awards together. After riding the high of completing all the tasks at hand in 2017/18 we decided to go for one last ride and see what we could bring to the 40th Annual celebration, because who doesn’t want to plan the 40th Annual ACE Awards? Having the opportunity to plan an event that has brought the Edmonton marketing industry together for both its 39th and 40th years has been a great and rewarding experience.

ACE is extremely fortunate to have such a strong support system, and it is the generosity of the community and sponsors that solidifies our strength and longevity as a club. It has been a privilege to work and grow with this year’s board and build relationships with more people throughout our industry. Please continue to keep ACE alive with your engagement and participation in future events.

The Advertising Club of Edmonton (ACE) proudly supports & promotes Edmonton’s advertising, marketing, media and interactive industries. ACE Awards is an annual celebration of the best creative work produced in Edmonton.